As a social networking site for professionals, LinkedIn is a must for those selling B2B, but too many businesses are not making the most of the platform.
Digital marketing expert Aaron Agius, in a post on Allbusiness.com, points out that 80 percent of B2B social media leads come from LinkedIn, but most people still see it as the place to find new jobs and stay in touch with peers.
Agius says LinkedIn is actually an incredibly powerful marketing tool, provided it is used properly. For instance, instead of talking about yourself, show people how you can solve their problems.
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“I know this sounds harsh, but people don’t care about your products or services,” Agius says. “What they care about is finding solutions to their pain points.”
He suggests offering value by contributing to discussions, publishing educational content, and demonstrating your expertise.
Also, don’t make it exclusively about marketing. A lot of your employees have quality content to contribute, and their posting could even help your brand. “When content comes from a brand’s employees, as well as from the official brand profile, this not only humanizes the brand, but it conveys a united purpose,” Agius says. “If employees love the company so much that they’re prepared to post content on their personal accounts, this makes the company look incredibly attractive to potential business partners and leads.”
And don’t forget about sponsored updates.
“…you have the ability to define the audience who will see your posts, so if you want to get your content in front of specific influencers, the cost of a sponsored update is more than worth it,” Agius said.
LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager provides comprehensive metrics, so you can thoroughly examine whether you’re getting a good bang for your buck when you run a sponsored post.
